KERMODE BEAR

I just finished my report on this endangered bear. Read and learn about this animal the local people call "Spirit Bear".

You should try watching the movie "Spirit Bear". It is the story about a boy who is trying to save the habitat of the Kermode Bear. Pop some popcorn and enjoy the movie. But don't forget to read on first.

The Kermode Bear is the special name given to the black bear that has white claws and cream colored coats. One out of every ten black bears has this recessive gene which shows itself by giving the bears white fur. They are not albinos. Kermode bears are found only in a narrow stretch of land along the coast of British Columbia and on the Princess Royal Islands. Another name for Kermode Bear is "Spirit Bear” or “Ghost Bear.” The Kermode bear is endangered. There are only 400 hundred of them left in the world.
According to the Tsimshian legend of creation, when the world was in chaos, Raven organized it into cohesion. It's believed that a time long ago, when the earth was covered with snow and ice, all living beings spoke one language and there was never misunderstanding or the intent of one group towards another. It's said that there was harmony between the seen and unseen worlds, which were separated by a thin veil. People, especially Spirits Doctors could move back and forth. Animals could shapeshift into humans and vice versa. The Creator, Raven, decided to transform the earth into a magnificent green land. The Tsimshians believed in Spirit Bear, Moksgm'ol, was the Spirit of the Rainforest. When the land was green, Creator Raven, decided to create a remembrance of when the world was covered with ice and snow and at peace. He flew among the Black and Brown Bear People and turned every tenth one white. He decreed that they would live in peace and harmony forever. Raven promised them that they would have unique powers. They would lead chosen people to special places and have the ability to dive deep in the ocean to search for fish. Raven set aside a rainforest home for the bears on Princess Royal Island where Moksgm’ol would live in peace and harmony forever.
Black bears can be many colors, they can be cinnamon, black, white and brown.
They eat berries, nuts, fruits, roots, grasses and other plants. They also eat insects, deer and fish. They also love honey. But, plants make up eighty percent of the food it eats during the year. Kermode bears are less visible to fish than their black counterparts, making them 30% more efficient at capturing salmon in the islands' rivers.